'Take action' NOW
It is important to respond NOW, as the responses will shape the draft Local Plan, issued next summer (June /July 2024) for further consultation, which by then will include site recommendations for housing and employment development.
The timescale for the planning process is shown below
Deadline is 12 noon 29th September
PLEASE RESPOND HERE
You do not have to answer all questions.
We have set out below what we think are the Key questions to answer in order to Protect Rural Peterborough.
Click on responding as an Individual (as many people in your household can respond, it is NOT limited to one per household - so the more the merrier!)
Enter your personal details
Then scroll down - see below and we suggest you use the words as a guide, so that you can express your personal views
VISION FOR PETERBOROUGH
Vision
1. What do you think are the key issues that should be reflected in the new Local Plan vision? Do you agree with the proposed new vision? If not, what is your vision for Peterborough in the future?
A: Better and greener place growing in the right way - Yes.
Bigger - No.
Some of the fastest growth in the country over the last 20 years has NOT improved people's household wealth, their health or opportunity for employment productivity.
Fast growth has failed. Peterborough needs to thrive. Not just grow
A: There should be reference to John Clare Countryside project and understanding of its importance
PART A HOW SHOULD PETERBOROUGH GROW?
Q3.a This new Plan must have an end date of at least 2041. We think that 2044 is about right. What do you think?
A: It would be 3 years more than necessary.
It inflates the housing numbers required by nearly 3,000.
It puts unneeded pressure to develop greenfield sites, at Castor & Ailsworth and across the rural area and villages
It therefore contradicts our Prime Minister
"It's important that we do things in the right way, And that means building houses in the right places with the support of local communities; not concreting over the countryside" Rishi Sunak 24th July 2023. BBC news
Q3b. Government policy says our minimum housing target should be around 19,860 new homes to 2044. To attempt to go lower would highly likely breach national policy, but we could go higher. Should we go higher? If, so why?
A: The question is misleading.
National policy can be breached , as local authorities can now define targets based on local needs
Peterborough needs to grow more slowly. Fast growth has not made Peterborough a better place to live.
Despite some of the fastest growth in the UK, wealth, health and productivity have not increased in 20 years
Fast growth has failed. We need to thrive, not grow.
Q4:.......what sort of jobs we should try to facilitate, and what locations would be suitable for new employment land?
A: Better quality jobs than those low paid, zero hours jobs on large sites, generated in the last 10 years
A: Matched with ARU University development of local talent to attract higher quality employers requiring a more skilled workforce.
Growth Options
Q7a. Which option/s do you prefer and why?
A: None. They don't tackle the real issues. The are housing developers led.
Q7b. Which options/s do you dislike and why?
A: Options 3 & 4 can't seriously be considered as they directly contravene the City Council's own vision for " A network of characterful villages set within an attractive rural landscape"
A: Option 3 Village extension focussed, leading to (in Council's own words) ".....increase the need to travel by car and increase infrastructure provision in villages. The scale of growth would likely impact considerably on the character and function of villages."
People choose to live in villages for a reason, . and changing their character and increasing traffic are not why they choose to live there.
A: Option 4 Standalone settlement(s) - by definition would be in open countryside and totally contradicts our Prime Minister's promise that "we should not concrete over the countryside"
The overwhelming rejection of this idea, by people right across Peterborough not just the countryside, for the 2019-2036 Local Plan, should be respected..
Q7c. Are there alternative options not shown above which should be considered?
A: Rejuvenate the City centre, with apartment living
Develop City centre living to match both the huge expected growth in single households and the opportunity of London employment now being just 39 minutes away. Create a vibrant place to live AND visit
Make the centre an attractive place for students to stay in Peterborough after finishing their studies.
A: A clear policy and approach to developing Brownfield sites
City Centre Regeneration and Overarching Policy
Q 10a
A: Yes
Q10b
A: Yes
PART B WHAT POLICIES SHOULD THE PLAN INCLUDE?
There are many questions in this Part of the consultation.
Feel free to explore, but the questions and answers in part A above are the priority.
Please make sure you answer those, so that we can Protect Rural Peterborough
Part C - WHAT ARE YOUR PRIORITIES FOR THE FUTURE OF PETERBOROUGH?
Our 5 recommendations - tick if you agree
- More and a variety, of genuinely Affordable housing
- Revitalising and rejuvenating the City centre
- Investment in walking and cycling infrastructure
- Genuine efforts to protecting existing and creating new areas for nature
- Protecting the character of Peterborough, the surrounding villages and the countryside